Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America

In Astride: Horses, Women, and a Partnership That Shaped America, Eliza McGraw weaves together stories of women who pioneered in worlds such as Thoroughbred breeding, the circus, and horse rescue at a time when American women in general internalized the lessons of horsewomen: take chances, take up more space, and learn to get back on. From tamers to caretakers and performers to teachers, all worked with horses to buck the status quo. Expressing the idea of femininity with athleticism and authority, these trailblazers changed the way America understood women. Richly illustrated with period photographs, Astride demonstrates that even small changes can advance the fight for progress.

Eliza McGraw is the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award–winning author of Here Comes Exterminator! The Longshot Horse, the Great War, and the Making of an American Hero and a contributing writer for EQUUS magazine.